


A New Threat

by Shiro_Kiki



Series: A New Threat [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:00:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28777200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiro_Kiki/pseuds/Shiro_Kiki
Summary: A new story involving our personal characters in SWOTR.
Relationships: Kira Carsen & Male Jedi Knight | Hero of Tython, Original Jedi Character(s)/Original Sith Character(s)
Series: A New Threat [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109855





	1. Prologue

“The mission is over.” Tycus stated flatly, arms folding over his chest, “Any business we had traveling together is concluded; it’s time to follow our separate paths.” His statement descended over the group, a silence hanging briefly around the meeting table. 

With both Darth Angral and Lord Vivicar being defeated it had seemed the three’s goal was completed. Surely the Republic and Jedi Council would require more from them, but in not so much a necessity that they continue traveling together. However the results they had achieved as a coalition could not be denied, and they had all certainly grown from each other’s perspectives and morales. Well, some more than others as far as Serali was concerned. As such she had called the other two here to gather their insight into the decision they might make. 

“Currently the benefit of striking out on our own outweighs traveling together. It’s as simple as that.” For his part, Tycus didn’t see the need for this discussion. It was a simple matter for him to establish what was the best course for his next mission and proceed as such. Just another time their Consular had gone around talking about something instead of just taking action. Even so he would entertain this, in all likelihood for him, last meeting the newly appointed Jedi Master had called. 

“It would be unwise to be hasty in our decision Tycus. What seems to be the clearest answer is not always the correct one. And from all of our perspectives we may offer a new solution to an otherwise undiscovered question.”

“You missed an opportunity to say, ‘The Force guides me’.” Kira spoke up, a slight cheeky smile on her face as Tycus shook his head. Fenris looked to Kira, his own subtle smirk rising before returning the attention to his cohorts and mirroring Tycus’ stance. “Well if we’re separating, Kira is staying with me. She may not be a Padawan any longer, but we make a good team.” 

“Fine by me. I never even wanted her on the ship. It's only a matter of time before she shows her true nature. The Council is unwise to trust a Child of the Emperor. There’s no way to truly know if she’s free of his influence. She’s a liability at best and a threat at worst.” 

“The emperor lost his control over me when we killed Darth Angral! I will not betray him!...Fenris I mean. Or any of you!” Kira pushed forward on the table, leveling a glare at the masked Jedi as she jabbed a finger towards him. “For all your talk he trusts me more than you!” 

Her last sentence was clearly a dig at him whether true or not, one Tycus saw through easily enough. Still it was an open invitation to further voice himself about her when given the opportunity. “Easy to say that when your relationship seemed to hint at more than Master and Padawan and now fellow Jedi Knights.” 

Both Fenris and Kira began to speak, interrupted as Serali raised a hand between them. “Calm yourselves. The matter of Kira is not why we gathered here. The Council believes she is trustworthy and saw fit she rose to the rank of Jedi Knight. Where her path leads should be her decision alone. Though I would also urge caution to you Fenris.” 

Serali fixed the rest with a steady gaze as they all relaxed in turn, centering themselves as a brief silence once again held the room. The three relaxed their postures as Fenris looked between Tycus and Serali, his face a purposeful blank for the moment. Kira stepped back to stand behind Fenris, arms folded across herself. 

“We know your mind on the matter Tycus. We should hear what our other Knight feels.” 

Fenris looked between Tycus and Serali silently, face still an unreadable mask. Repeating this motion for another long moment before he spoke. “We all know you both would need my skills more than I would either of yours. I’m with Tycus on this one. We did what we needed, now its time for me to become an even greater legend on my own.” 

Tycus nodded in agreeance, promptly turning on his heel. “Glad that’s settled. One of you can keep the droid as well.” 

The remaining group watched as he walked from the room, the tail of his cloak swishing around the corner as he disappeared from view. Their hasty and seemingly emotionally charged decision revealed itself as a subtle frown on Serali as she looked towards Fenris. 

Kira was the next to move, her step noticeably having less of its usual perk. “Well I’m going to go meditate or..something.” Fenris moved to follow her, pausing as Serali placed a hand to his arm and stepped closer within his personal space. “If you would wait a moment. I wished to speak with you privately.” 

He turned to face her, thankful he knew her well enough to know that the physical touch and moving closer was in fact not flirting with him. Her unique sense of attire and proximity likely to give someone else the wrong impression of the Jedi Master. On the other hand Fenris knew if she were to acknowledge attraction he could be a likely candidate, it was him after all. 

Purging the stray thoughts from his mind he gently stepped away with a shake of his head, the Consular’s words of caution leaving him to avoid this topic for now. “Later Serali. I sense Tycus’ words affected our newest Knight and I would offer her my council.” 

Serali stepped back with a quick nod as she clasped her hands behind her back. “Of course. May the Force be with you in your endeavor.” The two nodded to each other, as Fenris followed after Kira and left the Consular alone. She waited a moment before she too left, heading to her chambers to meditate and reflect on what had transpired. 

The doors to both Tycus’ and Fenris’ rooms appeared closed as she passed, hopefully implying the two were doing the same. Though she felt Fenris was in need of guidance more so that Tycus, at least given his familiarity with Kira. Both Tycus and herself sensed the two may harbor feelings, and while Tycus may be outwardly indifferent to such, Serali was concerned it would be the first step towards the dark side. Even Tycus gave concern to her however, his objective focus and decisions having resulted in many an argument between the two. To be expected when she faced what she considered his morally gray compass and likewise when he considered her often detrimental altruism. Fenris was a good influence on him in that regard, he was typically more of the middle ground between the two of them. 

Serali had meant to bring these up in their meeting but it seemed the Knights had already made up their minds. At least perhaps Tycus had, Fenris may be persuaded when their thoughts had calmed. Even her own thoughts needed such, which made the need for meditation all the more apparent. 

Kneeling within her quarters she centered herself, feeling the flow of the Force and its connection with all life. The feeling of her body fading, becoming one with the ship and its structure, then further on to the vast universe. The lifeforce moving next, that of Tycus and Fenris most notable but the rest of their companions were still there. Those too faded as she felt the connection of life through all that was the Force, every sentient being to every microscopic insect was connected in its embrace.. Finally her conscious mind faded, replaced by the ebb and flow of dark and light, letting its will of balance guide her. The question of their trio splitting, of the arguments with Tycus, the concern for Fenris and Kira, all was washed away. 

Time lost its meaning to the Consular as she became a vessel to the Force, trusting it to guide her and her comrades by its will. And then came the sense of danger, sharp and vivid, drawing her from her reverie. The world came rushing back as she stood, moving quickly to the door as it opened with a slight hiss of compression. Quickly moving through to the bridge another slight hiss came barely a half step out. Fenris’ door sliding open, “I sensed it too,” he said as he made to follow, Tycus following suit as they moved past his door. 

The three Jedi emerged to the center hull connection at a brisk walk as C2-N2 began to drivel on about air scents. No sooner had they landed on the main hull when an explosion rocked the ship, metal and bulkheads groaning as the lights flickered. The tell tale signs of an alarm sounding as Fenris darted towards the bridge, Tycus and Serali hot on his heels. Their progress impeded as another explosion rattled the ship and the orange tips of flames rose from the lower level stairs. 

As they reached the bridge Fenris dove the pilot seat, “We’re under attack, hang on to something!” The other two doing just that as he took over manual control, rolling the ship to its right in a rough maneuver; just in time to see the bright streak of laser streak past the front window where their ship had just been. The ship groaned in protest as Fenris rolled it back while another laser sailed past, Tycus and Serali gripping whatever they could to stay upright. 

“Who and why would anyone be attacking a Republic ship like this? Above Republic airspace no less!?” Serali asked in a moment of between the evasive maneuvers as her and Tycus slid into their seats. “All that matters right now is getting out of this,” came Tycus’ reply, taking control of the ship’s defenses as more explosions rocked the ship. “Right, so how about you shoot instead of talk!” Fenris yelled at the two, putting the ship through as much as it would take to avoid the incoming fire. 

None of them had gotten a good look at who their assailant was, but they were packing some serious firepower. The first blast had overwhelmed the shield defenses and still done damage to the hull as evidenced by the growing flames. And despite Fenris best efforts at flying and Tycus attempting to bring the turrets online they were still taking in more damage than was sustainable. 

“One of our engines is down and the other is only running at half capacity. Fires in the engine bay and medical ward.” Serali reported their status to the Knights before queuing the intercom, “Tee-s--ve-, yo- need to g-- to -h- gine ro-- and ge- th-- fire --t!” her voice coming out in broken static, but she trusted the astromech droid to get the idea. Even that may have been a fool’s hope, the amount of times the ship rattled with explosions and fires seemed to be the least of their worries. 

The more damage they took the less Fenris could push it trying to dodge the relentless incoming fire by their unknown assailants, leaving them sitting to take more damage. “Lightspeeds not happening in this state and were not getting out of this assault in a cracking apart ship.” Even as Fenris spoke that the ship lurched to the side, a chunk of its port side missing. “Best bet is to try and set it down on world.” He didn’t wait for approval before diving down, trying to evade as the planet loomed closer.

Even if the landing was likely to be harsh, being stranded on Tython was preferable to being blown up. It would seem the Jedi wouldn't get the chance however as their remaining engine gave out, their speed beginning to slow as the onslaught continued. Fenris cursed under his breath as he tried to re-engage them. Each subsequent explosion bringing them that much closer to destruction, waiting for the inevitable final shot and yet the hail of lasers ceased barely a few moments after the engines failed. 

“Next time I’m not settling for the Council’s junker starship.” Tycus stated flatly, watching Fenris try to restart the engines in vain. Whatever reply Fenris held in return was cut off as the Jedi were lurched forward, the ship’s residual forward momentum ceasing and throwing its passengers as their bodies continued forward. With collective groans the trio straightened themselves out and stood to look out the window. Feeling the ship begin to move once more as they began to reverse direction, being pulled in by their assailants’ tractor beam. 

“It would seem our unknown aggressors wish to take us alive.” Serali mused, leaning towards the window to try and view the ship they were being carried up into. “Curious, as during this assault I sensed incredible malice towards us.” 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure trying to blow up our ship counts as direct malice. My flying’s the only thing that stopped us from being blown out of the sky, and they could have easily done that after we lost engines.” 

“Its clear there are forces at work we don’t yet understand. This may be an opportunity to speak with our aggressors and discern their motives. There are several puzzling pieces to this that I would know. Who are these assailants and which faction do they belong too? Is this a case of mistaken identity, or planned assault? And of all places, why here above Tython?” As she spoke the questions out loud Serali began to pace back and forth along the bridge, largely now ignoring Fenris and Tycus. The former going to check on the crew and the latter doing his best to stabilize the damage. 

“Great questions I’m sure. For now though we should make sure we’re ready for a fight. The more likely scenario is they want to take us prisoner and get information. We all have information regarding the Republic and the Jedi that the Sith would love to get their hands on. That’s a situation we can’t find ourselves in, and you know I’ll do what it takes to stay out of it.”

A thin blue light passed over the window and the damaged ship shuddered softly as its movement ceased, the telltale noises of machinery moving coming from outside as it shuddered softly once more within the docking clamps. Nearly as soon as they had been connected they felt themselves moving at light speed, ferrying them away from Republic reinforcements near Tython. “This may complicate things.” Serali moved away from the cockpit window and looked to Tharan, “Or will this new development be a problem? As far as repairs are concerned.” 

Fenris had returned promptly from checking on the crew earlier, reporting they were all safe, if somewhat rattled; his return preventing the argumentative discussion Serali had been about to start with Tycus. He relayed that Tee-seven was controlling the fires and would get a full diagnostic of the ship thereafter. It left the three Jedi to time quickly formulate a plan as the ship was pulled in, furthering said plan as the reported damage was mainly contained to the engines.

“Please, did you forget who you’re talking too?” Tharan held up a hand and with cheeky grin, “It may take a touch longer, but I’m confident my repairs will still hold. Even if just enough to get us to a safer location where I might be more thorough.” Holiday flickered into existence next to him, pressed along him as she hugged his arm. “This won’t even be a challenge to my darling Tharan. Having to complete the repairs while under fire may even make it more fun!”

“Yes, well am rather fond of living and being uninjured. So I’ll be expecting you three to keep our guests away from me while I make repairs unhindered. I’m sure you can do that, and all will be well won’t it Master Jedi?”

“Yes. Glad to hear it,” Serali replied with a convincing forced smile and an almost imperceptible twitch of her eyebrow towards Holiday.

“Being pulled away from Tython only puts more of the challenge on us. There won’t be any reinforcements coming for us. If this ship is big enough to pull us in with a tractor beam and house us inside, we can expect there’s a lot of enemies on the outside too.” Fenris said, glancing towards the stairs leading to the air lock. “But we’ve assaulted ships before and come out none the worse for wear. It’ll just take longer this time to weed through their forces until they stop showing up.” 

Tycus shook his head. “That was different. We were a small boarding party with a set destination in mind, after a single Sith. If we go on the assumption this is an Empire ship, we can expect to be fighting their entire militant force. They captured us for a reason, they’re not likely to give up just because we defeat the guards posted in the bay. Fighting through waves of soldiers and…droids… might be doable, but it shouldn’t be our first choice.”

Serali frowned at the two of them. “Fighting until all of their soldiers fall would be an atrocious loss of life and hardly a definitive plan of action. I haven’t ruled diplomacy out of this situation. Trying to foster peace with whoever our assailant is should be our first course of action.”

“Right. So what’s our second plan of action after the first one fails?”

“Do not be so quick to discount a chance at a peaceful resolution. If the Force will-“

“Now isn’t the time you two.” Fenris interjected, folding his arms with a shake of his head. “I’m all for you attempting to negotiate this Serali, but based on their initial greeting, I don’t think talking is going to be high on their list of priorities. That is unless you call interrogation ‘talking’. We need a plan in case it fails, and given that I sense a Sith outside our ship, we don’t have long to come up with it. If the plan, ‘just fight them all’ won’t cut it, then here’s what I propose...”


	2. A Seed of Doubt

With a hasty plan decided between them Fenris moved down the ramp. The main airlock of the captured ship slid open with a hiss of air and whine of gears as it pulled up, the short ramp descending a few feet from the entrance. Fenris strode out, standing at the base as he looked out. Their ship was suspended in a large docking bay about 20 feet from the ground, both bow and stern held tight by metallic arms that kept their ship in place. Directly below, the bay entrance was sealed tight by blast doors, the light blue shield in place mere inches above. All typically standard for a docking bay really was Fernis’s impression, it certainly belonged to a large ship, perhaps a Cruiser or Heavy Cruiser given its size.

What really drew his attention as he stepped out was the three squads of Imperial soldiers standing at attention below, several Officers mixed into their ranks. Standing tall at the forefront was the earlier sensed Sith, his hands clasped behind his back lightly. His impressive figure enough to rival Tycus, evident even under the tight trappings of his robes before they trailed to the floor. His form at odds with his facial presence, bald head and face baring a gray palor, with dark shadows around his sunken eyes and a red tinge almost glowing behind them. His lips a thin line, colored a dark black that spread in veins along his chin and hollowed cheeks. He spread his arms in welcome as he stared up at Fenris, “Ah finally! Welcome honored guests! It is poor manners indeed to keep your host waiting I must say, but please won’t you join me down here.” His voice was eloquent and soft, bearing a slight drawl that was seemingly common to the Sith. Fenris stared at him a moment before stepping off the ramp. Quickly falling below and landing in a half crouch, one fist and knee planted in the ground as his free hand outstretched behind him, cloak billowing in the draft his momentum caused. Still staring at the ground after his impact, he slowly looked up to the Sith from behind his hood, rising to a stand. “If that’s how you treat a guest. Wait until you see how I treat an enemy.”

He chuckled lightly, arms returning to clasp lightly behind his back. “Ah Mr. Lodbrook, ever the one for theatrics aren’t you? Still, I welcome you.” His eyes moved to Serali and Kira as they descended after Fenris, Kira landing in a similar, though less exaggerated, fashion to Fenris and Serali slowing her momentum though a weak Force Push towards the ground. His head nodding to each of the women in turn. “A warm welcome to you Mrs. Kirali, Mrs. Carsen. And I suppose congratulations are in order for both of you! One finally recognized a Knight, the other a prestigious title of Jedi Master. It’s quite the achievement for both of you.” 

You seem to know a lot about us, who are you exactly?” Fenris questioned him, as the Sith’s smile widened, a shake of his head the only reply. “Indeed. I’m afraid you have us at a disadvantage. For one who seems to hold manners in high regard, I would presume you know it's polite to introduce yourself.” Serali added off Fenris’s question.

“My most sincere apologies, but I’m afraid I must decline. I already risk my Master’s wrath with this little get together. Oh but how could I resist meeting those responsible for the Demise of Angral and Vivicar! The opportunity was simply too good to pass up! Not only them, but Lord Praven, and countless other Sith unworthy of names have fallen at your hands. Even that is nothing to the drones of the empire you’ve slaughtered.” As he spoke of the deaths his smile broke into a grin between words, eyes gaining a new found life to them as they stared at scenes beyond the walls of the star ship. His hands rising from behind his back as though he were about to cackle with laughter, eyes coming back into focus as they settled on Serali. “You’ve killed in the hundreds, if not thousands. Truly an envious feat!” 

Serali stepped forward ahead of Fenris with a defiant shake of her head. “To be envious of so many lives lost is horrendous! The way in which relish death is so great a number is a new level of despicable, even for a Sith. I did what I was forced to do. I would have gladly shown mercy to any of my enemies. A Jedi’s compassion and holding all life forms sacred leads us in balance with the Force.” He stared at Serali in thought, studying her a moment as his smile faltered. Shaking his head as his hand returned to his back. “How disappointing. You truly do not even realize the depths of your own hypocrisy. The hypocrisy of the entire Republic and your Jedi Code? You say you would grant mercy and yet…” his gaze traveled back to Fenris, …”is that prospect not denied by the very company you keep? Was it not Mr. Lodbrook and Mr. Silverblade who struck down Ako Domi? After he put his life in our hands? Certainly he wasn’t the first to not be shown mercy.” 

“Don’t presume to know me Sith. I may not be opposed to aggressive negotiations, there’s certain problems only a lightsaber will fix, but I don’t willingly take life for the pleasure that you seem to hold it in. Regardless of that, I don’t have to explain myself to anyone, least of all you.”

“And there is the lie you tell yourself Mr. Lodbrook. Perhaps you feel no need to justify your actions to me, but can you justify them to you comrades? To yourself? Do you not feel a twinge of guilt as you strike down those that come before you? No...perhaps it’s not guilt. There is something there below that isn’t there? You enjoy the power. The feeling of superiority as your lessers fall before you. Even if there’s a regret at the outcome of their demise, you relish the feeling it gives you.” 

Fenris shook his head a few times before holding a stare at the Sith, head angled down to gaze just under the flare of his hood. “You don’t know anything about me.” Stepping forward past Serali he strode closer to the Sith, hand reaching for his saber. “If you did, you would know I’m getting tired of hearing your voice talk about nothing. Either you can start answering some questions for us... ” Now almost within striking distance he ignited his saber as his words finished. The beam extending from the hilt and bathing Fenris its red glow, giving his squared off form and canted head a sinister appearance. “...or you can be another fallen Sith that underestimated me. 

“Now now, there’s no need for that yet, all of us here know you’re stalling for time for Mr. Silverblade. Let us not spend it all locked in combat. Or are you eager because you do enjoy the thrill of combat? Do my words strike too close to your liking? Does it instill feelings of anger in you Fenris? Of all those in your party I sense your emotions most. It is why I know not to underestimate you. A prodigy of the Jedi, your skill with a blade matched only by your power of the force.” His gaze traveled from Fernis to Kira and Serali before returning, starting to pace lightly in front of him. 

“Think of the power you could wield if you but embraced both the dark and light of the Force! You surely know even now the power you hold over Mrs. Light and Mr. Silverblade. Do they not look to you as their peacekeeper? The leader in the decisions they dare not make? Was it not you that trained Mrs. Carsen, whom she looked to as her Master even as two other Knights stood present? Those around naturally flock to your leadership! And why shouldn’t they? All those who have stood before you have been cut down. Even powerful Sith failed to push you to your limits. Think of how much greater you could be if you but fully accepted yourself? You would overthrow the Emperor and Council both!” 

The Sith ceased his pacing, the silence in the bay broken only by the soft hum of Fenris’s saber. The three Jedi all processed his words after his monologue while Fenris and Kira kept eyes on their target, Kira’s hand moving towards her saber. The Sith watching them with a bemused smile. Serali meanwhile stood motionless, staring at Fenris with concern written on her features. Stepping forward and raising a hand as if to reach out for him. “Do not let his words cloud your-” 

“Relax Serali.” Fenris cut her off, glancing back to her. “I don’t need the Dark Side to be the best.” A faint half smile was visible behind his hood before he returned his attention to the Sith, free hand moving up as a wave of the Force followed in its wake. Thrusting his hand out towards the Sith to direct the energy outward the Force Push crashed into them, meeting an opposite wave from the Sith to minimize its effect. The Sith sliding back on his toes several feet, the motionless counter push just enough to prevent him from flying back uncontrollably, the soldiers that flanked him not so lucky as they flew through the air to land in a heap.

The grin Fenris held became all the more smug as he heard Kira’s double bladed saber hum into existence and she moved up to his right defensively. Fully expecting to hear Serali’s a moment later, risking a glance away from his enemy towards her. Seeing the Consular instead still staring at him, arms at her side as her concerned expression only deepened. She shook her head as he opened his mouth to question her, “Later. Let us not lose focus.” she said, eyes traveling towards the Sith. Words dying in his throat the Jedi’s attentions returned to the Sith who had remained there with his hands clasped behind his back as if waiting for their full attention.

“Am I to assume our conversation is at an end? Very well.” With a wave of his hand the soldiers in the room quickly marched away towards the outskirts of the room, filing along the walls. As the soldiers filed away two additional Sith strode into the room, bearing the same gray pallor and dark features of the first, robes identical in nature. Their differences only in facial structure and physique, the male of average build and the female tall and broad. The red beam of their lightsabers already extended, they moved in to square off opposite Kira and Serali each. Serali finally reached for her weapon as the teal beam extended and she assumed a fighting stance. 

The apparent leader of the newcomers waved his hand once more, stretching his hand and arm towards his side. His lightsaber drifting up from below his robes and flying to his open palm, a dark red beam extending from the hilt. “I expect Mr. Silverblade will be returning shortly. I do hope you’ll entertain me in the meantime.” Without another word Fenris lept towards the Sith, clearing the large gap with the aid of the Force. His saber coming down vertically towards the Sith who blocked in response, the crash of their lightsabers echoing through the docking bay. Flares of light flickered between the two sabers as they pushed against one another, their faces bathed in red light as they stared at one another across the sparking beams. “I’m going to do more than entertain you Sith.”


	3. Infiltration

Tycus waited a moment after Fenris, Serali, and Kira descended the ramp to the ship exit. Turning on his heel, he moved down through the engine rooms, residual heat radiating off the pipes and walls. The fires that had burned to do extensive damage in the brief time they had been burning. Tharan was already at work making repairs as Holiday dribbled on empty words of encouragement to him. What Tharan did with the holo-girl didn't concern him at this moment, as he strode purposefully onward; time was not on their side right now. He soon found himself in the lowest part of the ship, surrounded by pipes and exposed wires and panels. Hopping deftly over the walkway railing, he squeezed himself further down, contorting himself to descend lower into the engine space. 

The thought briefly crossed his mind as to why he was the one who had to twist, bend, and squeeze his way down through the engine components. Surely Serali or Kira would be better suited to this? Then again, the heat here was intense at the best of times, much less after fires had raged unchecked. Were it not for his armored robes, his skin would indeed be suffering from severe burns. Even if Serali were smaller, she wasn't exactly dressed appropriately for this task; or any task. The Jedi Master's attire was quite impractical when he considered it. Not to mention he would much rather climb his way down through the engines then try to keep a pointless conversation going to stall for time. And he certainly wasn't about to let Kira be the one tasked with a subterfuge mission to open the blast doors. That was far too vital a mission to entrust to someone he didn't trust. So if Kira stayed, Fenris, of course, would be staying near Kira, which left the Zabrak to wind his way down lower and lower. 

The heat climbed higher the lower he got, feeling like it would bake him alive until he finally saw the bottom of the ship's hull. Thankfully there was more space to work with down here, letting him move more quickly towards the landing gear. Finally, he reached the long slit in the ground that marked where the landing gear doors opened. Quietly and as speedily as he could, he set to work opening them, a plasma torch cutting through the bolts and welds that maintained the door's integrity. It was something he had to be cautious with, damaging the doors enough to allow him to pry them open and slip through but not enough that they would be hazardous for space flight. 

Overall, cutting through took longer than he would have liked, but he estimated it couldn't have been more than a minute or two. He was just about to pry the door panel back when he felt the vibration and distinct beeping of his holo-communicator. "A holo-call? Now?" Pulling the device free, Tycus held it up as the grainy blue light emitted from its base; the blurry and flickering lines of a droid taking shape within its image. Suppressing a sigh, Tycus answered, "What is it, Tee-seven?"   
"T7 + Tycus = best partners // Tycus = should wait for T7 to come," the droid beeped out. Tycus shook his head in response. "You need to stay and make repairs to the ship. You're an astromech droid, this is what you're for." 

“T7 = Understanding // T7 = Argues has gone on missions + Tycus before. // + Can disable docking bay doors.” 

Tycus shook his head again; he didn't have time for this. "Even if that's true, there's no way to get you off the ship unnoticed. Stay here and make repairs so that we're ready to leave." He didn't wait for the droid's response, terminating the holo-call. What he said wasn't even an excuse based on his distrust of droids. Well, it wasn't totally based on it anyway. There really was no way to get the droid off without being seen, and he couldn't afford to waste what time he had figuring it out. 

With a quick moment of centering, he summoned the Force around him, feeling its energies swirl and condense around him as it obfuscated his form. The power of the Force not only refracting the light to hide him but dulling the presence he may give off to Force-sensitive individuals. It wasn't a skill he could hold overly long, but enough to slip out of the ship unnoticed. Such was the intent as he peeled back the landing door enough to slip through, pushing himself out feet first until he dangled by his hands from the opening. 

As he hung, he could see the docking bay port that leads deeper into the ship some 40 feet from him; to his right at roughly the same distance was a far smaller door that was likely an elevator. Tycus quickly weighed the two options, opting for the larger exit that would keep him further away from the Sith and contingent of guards his compatriots were now speaking with. Swinging his body forward, he let go, free-falling down at a slight angle towards the floor. As his feet connected, he rolled into it, absorbing the shock and muffling the sound. Springing up from the roll, he was already moving at the quietest sprint he could muster, slipping around the bay doors just as his camouflage faded. 

Coming to an abrupt halt, he took stock of his surroundings. Finding himself in a long corridor that ran off to his right and left, smaller entrances dotting its length that lead to other parts of the ship. Imperial Starships generally had the same layout, and Tycus used his knowledge from previous excursions into them to orient himself. Setting off at another sprint down the corridor to his right, the light strips on the walls blurred past him. He reasoned that an upcoming port to his right should lead him back parallel to the docking bay, and from there, the elevator hub. There he could ascend up to the next level and find the bay overlook, which should control the launch bay doors and clamps, possibly even a way to disable the tracking beam. 

The first two entrances had doors, but the third he saw ran entirely away in another hallway like fashion. Taking the corner, he moved along without breaking pace to continue his sprint down, only slowing as the hallway opened up to an octagonal room. Every other wall of the room housed doors to elevators as hologram circles of red and green designating, which were ready to use. In the center of the room stood two semi-curved island consoles directly opposite each other with various screens and buttons lighting their interface, behind which four Imperials soldiers were idly monitoring, two to each side of the consoles. 

The two closest saw Tycus, rising from their seats as they made for their blasters, but not fast enough. While not a sprint, Tycus was still moving quickly, utilizing his momentum to leap towards the Imperials. Clearing the console as his hands moved to his blades, unsheathing them directly into a slash across two of the men's chests as he landed in a slight crouch. Their cries of pain sounding as they fell, hitting the floor before their hands reached their weapons. The sound of their demise rousing the remaining two as they began to turn. One turning only to witness Tycus' blade cutting into him, his surprised gasp of shock the last breath he would make. 

The final remaining Imperial turned as he rose from his chair, gaze traveling from his falling fellow to Tycus looming above him, the tip of his Vibrosaber centimeters from piercing his heart. He was frozen in place for a moment as his mind caught up to reality; three of his fellow Imperials dispatched in a few heartbeats. His hand was frozen in moving towards his blaster, finally raising upwards in surrender. Sheathing one of his blades, Tycus Force pulled the man's blaster away, the Imperial watching as it clattered to the floor. 

"I don't have time for arguments, so you get one chance to answer." Tycus stated flatly. "Which of these elevators leads to Docking Bay control?" The Imperial looked back, defiance written in his features. "Arrogant Republic Dog. If you must know it's that one there," he nodded to the elevator to their left, "but it requires an access code. One that I have no intention of giving to you." Without missing a beat, Tycus waved his free hand in front of the Imperial. "You want to tell me your access code." 

"I want to tell you my access code. It's 872635." Putting the code to memory, Tycus stepped forward, Vibroblade twisting away to avoid impaling him as his fist drove into the Imperial's face, just as it contorted in anger at the mind trick forcing him to reveal his code. The single blow enough to knock him unconscious as he crumpled at Tycus's feet, feet already turning away as he moved to the earlier mention elevator. 

As he finished entering the code, the hologram circled changed from red to green, fading as the doors slid open. Tycus stepped in, pressing the next floor's button as the dors slipped close, floor vibrating a moment as the machine moved. As the elevator opened to Docking Bay Control, Tycus was greeted to an unexpected sight. The room contained the standard console desk wrapping around the room and a large window on the opposite wall to look down on the docking bay. 

No, what struck Tycus as odd were glowing burn marks and slashes strewn around the room and consoles. Beyond that was the seven Imperials that lay dead within the room. Two still slumped in their seats with holes burned in their chests, the rest laying haphazardly along the ground, some bearing cauterized amputations of their limbs and severe burns. It was evident the damage was done mostly by a lightsaber, but far too aggressive to be Serali or Fenris. Not to mention it was unlikely they would deviate from the plan or get here before him.

Tycus moved forward to the window, looking down to see his companions just as Fenris activated his lightsaber. It was odd, but it made his task more straightforward, and he wasn't about to feel much sympathy for the enemy. Stepping towards the central console, he hunched over slightly, beginning to navigate how to release the docking bay doors; that was when he sensed it. Moving to his side in a quick motion and spinning towards the door as his hands found his blades, the light and heat of lightning cracked by him, occupying the space he had been in moments ago. The sizzle of electrified air lingered as the barrage continued a half-second longer, Tycus tracing its source to a dark shadow just beside the elevator doors.

Adopting a defensive posture, he watched as the lightning ceased, and a robed figure emerged from the shadows. Tycus immediately deduced them as a Sith, and an Assassin at that, considering how she had masked both her physical form and force presence. It made her choice of a floor-length white skirt and starkly white bandages concealing her torso seem at odds for one who hid in the shadows; pale skin and white hair added to the ensemble. Dark eyeshadow and red lines along her cheeks, giving her a starkly severe expression to the colors she wore, lips curled in a smile as her hand lowered. Now that she had revealed herself, it would be all the easier to track her, even her presence in the Force bore a familiarity; he was confident he could now locate her even if she tried to conceal herself again. 

"Not bad. Maybe you'll provide me some entertainment after all." Her smile faltered, frowning as she gestured at the dead Imperials. "Certainly more than these fools did." Tycus regarded her a moment, so it had been her that cut down the Imperials. Why didn't matter at this point, his mission hadn't changed; if anything, it saved him from having to kill Imperials and a Sith to get to his objective. With them dead, it just left the new Sith before him. Though it was a valuable moment to try and get some information. "Why did you attack our ship? What's your goal in trying to capture us?" 

"I didn't attack your ship. These fools did." She responded with a dismissive wave of her hand towards the dead bodies and bay window. "A poor job of it they did too. But I don't have any goal in capturing you." 

"You'd kill your own men for not performing well enough?" Tycus shook his head. "What a waste of resources. And you're here to finish the job they couldn't? Why such an effort to kill three Jedi?" 

"I'm afraid you're asking the wrong person your questions. My associate is a far better conversationalist; I'm more...action-oriented. I killed them because I was bored. Their screams made for a much-needed change of pace." She began to pace back and forth as she spoke, anger seeping further into each word. Tycus could feel the hatred radiating from her in waves, her entire essence seething as he tracked her movements. "I'm not here to finish anyone's job or as part of some grand scheme. I'm here solely because I'm bored of killing worthless scum!" 

She stopped her pacing, double-bladed saber igniting, a pitch-black illuminating the center of a red aura, casting a glow over her face twisted in hatred. "Try not to die before I've had my fun." She growled at him, hand thrusting out as lightning arced from her fingertips at him. "Now, don't disappoint me!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue is hard.


	4. Fight!

She growled at him, hand thrusting out as lightning arced from her fingertips at him. "Now, don't disappoint me!" 

The vibrosabers pulled free as her hand outstretched, Tycus’ guard ready as the bolts raged towards him. The energy reflected off the blades, arcing and sizzling as it came in contact with the saber. Even with both blades absorbing the attack, Tycus could feel the power behind it, blades vibrating in his hand. Electricity tingled along his arms and through his chest as nerves responded to the outside impulse. The tingling sensation grew to a numbing buzz as the Sith continued her assault, channeling the force as the lightning grew in power as she attempted to overpower Tycus’ defenses. 

Tycus watched her over the arcing purple energy, her hatred felt through the force as she directed it towards him. It struck him as odd the hatred she seemed to exert, far beyond what previous Sith had seemed to harbor, further at odds by the look of pleasure growing on her face. The longer he held out against her attack, the more delighted she became. The force of her attack continued to grow as the scent of burning metal came from the floor, charring between them. Whatever reason for her antics, it mattered little at this moment, Tycus’ thoughts shifting to how he could break this stalemate. While confident he could continue to hold against the increasingly numbing feeling in his limbs, it gave her the advantage in this battle of attrition. 

Steeling himself, he spun towards his left, his right arm stretching out and bringing the blade closer to the force lightning. The energy of it latched on to the now singular vibrosaber, holding back the attack as the numbing buzz now sprouted into pain along his arm. Still, it was enough to free the other. Continuing the spin, he brought the left blade up as it spun around him, releasing it as she came into view. It hurtled towards her lethally, forcing her to block lest it separate her head from her neck, but the distraction proved fruitful as the purple glow faded and the sizzle of lightning cut off. 

Her saber moved up, stopping it in its tracks as Tycus followed in its wake. He recalled it to his hand, already moving towards her as he took control of the fight; the returned vibrosaber barely safely back in his grip before it was thrusting out to impale her. Her double-blade still held vertical from the last block; she was in no position to stop his thrust as the tip found its mark. Tycus should have felt a soft thud of a blade sinking into flesh, but instead, he found only air; her form had vanished, falling into shadow before his eyes. It was the same trick she had used when he first entered the room. Within a moment between heartbeats, he reached out, sensing her presence through the Force that she had tried to conceal; it was minuscule, but it was there. 

His free hand brought his blade around, protecting his back as she reappeared behind him. Her saber tip pushing against his vibrosaber, the would-be deadly thrust falling short. She held pressure there as he glanced over his shoulder to see her grinning, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Mind focusing on the task at hand, he brought his other vibrosaber back around at her side. Pivoting her own saber, it glanced off the side, the same motion bringing the other saber side racing towards Tycus’ head. 

Wasting no movement, Tycus rolled his neck as the saber passed within inches of his mask. The blade she earlier deflected swept down before arcing up towards her as her own miss turned to follow suit, flipping around to block the blow. They glanced off one another in a shower of sparks, but such an attack was simply Tycus’ precursor. He carried two weapons for a reason. Swinging it around, it raced towards the Sith, who brought her guard up at the last second, trying to flip her saber around to counter, but Tycus would leave no quarter. 

Each strike of his flowed seamlessly into the next, the vibrosabers an extension of himself, reaching out towards the Sith with deadly intent. Blow after blow rained down, attacking all sides, steadily pushing her back. Still, she held, her remaining this long against him, a small testament to her own prowess. Even so, she was decidedly on the defensive; he was not like others she had faced, who sacrificed all defense for an attack. For despite the flurry of blows, she couldn’t find the gaps to counter. 

Tycus could see her waning, the advantage of his vibrosabers shining in this duel as the weight wore on the smaller woman, forced to block not only his strength but the weight of the blades bearing down on her. Her blocks came in more hastily as he continued the assault, slowly but surely backpedaling to the corner, her disadvantaged position contrasting her grin and flushed face. He knew he would win this in time, but time was something Tycus didn’t have as he sensed his compatriots were already engaged. This was supposed to be fast, and she was currently delaying him in his mission. 

The Sith reminded him of Serali to a degree; her proficiency in the Force was the more powerful asset. She would fall this way eventually, but he needed a way to end this without giving her the distance and time to go back on the offensive. Twice she had seemingly disappeared, but Tycus presumed it was a form of Force Speed, and both times she struck at his back. If what he was planning didn’t turn out, it could put him at a disadvantage, but he needed to end this. Skilled he and as his companions all were, they couldn’t hold out indefinitely against the entire ship. 

Committing to his course, Tycus feigned an overextension of his next attack, giving the Sith a breath of space, not enough to counter immediately, but a moment to slip away and reset. He knew she took the bait as her form seemed to sink into shadow and faded from view. Without waiting for her to appear in her attack, Tycus spun, augmenting his own strength and speed through the Force as both blades hurtled around him.

A small boom sounded as the impact was made, shockwave pulsing out and reverberating around the room. A shudder ran up Tycus’ arms from the force as he pushed in to follow through. Both blades had caught the Sith as she had appeared behind him once more, her saber just barely able to stop the edges from splitting her in two. Even so, Tycus didn't worry as he initially felt the impact of resistance instead of the smooth cut through. She may have stopped the vibrosabers themselves, but the momentum and force carried through, lifting her off her feet as the blow knocked her backward. 

She flew in the wake of the shockwave, sailing through the air for a brief moment before the wall caught her. Her back slamming against it as her head whipped back, a loud crack of bones sounding with the crunch of a body hitting metal. Her eyes were wide, lips curling into a smile towards Tycus as she crumpled to the floor. Not resting on his laurels, Tycus moved forward to finish the job, already mentally preparing his defense of Serali’s lecture about mercy to defeated enemies. 

The Sith lay still as he approached, but he could sense she was still living, enough to keep his guard up while moving forward. His caution served him well as he was but a few steps away, her head snapping up to face him despite the internal damage she must have. Her face flushed, an easy grin on her face before she mouthed a thank you while her hands reached up. He watched it all as he moved in, sensing the danger the moment her head moved, determined to end her before she enacted whatever plan she had. But he knew it was too late. As fast as Tycus was, lightning was faster, the purple glow reflecting in his mask as the power surged outward from her fingers towards him. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Fenris locked sabers with the apparent ring leader of the Sith once more, pushing against one another. Each had a veneer of calm about them as they began to gauge the other's strength, the Sith’s lips hinting at a smirk. Eyes narrowing Fenris’ lips found a smirk of their own, “Angral underestimated me too.” The Sith’s eyebrow twitched nearly imperceptibly, but it was the momentary distraction Fenris was waiting for. Pushing his opponent back to break his guard and following through with a slash that forced him back even more to dodge.

Whatever this Sith’s goal in initially capturing them seemed to be forgotten at present as he focused on cutting Fenris down. He mentioned a Master earlier, and implied to a degree capturing them was against said Master’s wishes. The thoughts idly passed in Fenris’ head as he deflected strikes towards him, they certainly weren’t strikes meant to wound. Then why go through all the effort of trying to kill him now and not just shoot them down? Even if he engaged the Sith initially, his enemy wouldn’t forget his objective that quickly would he? Was this all just to gloat or for a bit of sport? Maybe he was a rival or close ally of Angral, determined to sample or avenge the one who killed his cohort?

Fenris cursed in his head, there wasn’t enough information to go on. They may have gotten more if he hadn’t jumped in, but that wasn’t a conversation that was leading anywhere productive. Indeed, he didn’t like that look Serali had given him, and he wasn’t about to just let this guy sow doubt between them for the sake of stalling. Damn it all, no sooner had they taken care of Angral and Vivicar that another Sith showed up; a consequence of being the best he supposed. He ducked under a swipe at his head, reigning his thoughts in to focus on his opponent. 

Blocking the next strike Fenris pushed him away to create space between them. The Sith stepped back and recovered easily, moving in to strike once more as Fenris settled into Soresu Form. Their sabers clashed again, Sith’s deflecting off Fenris’ as he carried through the momentum to potentially counter, but the opening wasn’t there.The Sith came at him again yet his enemy would find no purchase as Fenris’ saber spun around off his last defense, already waiting to intercept the blow. 

Again and again the Sith struck at him, each strike being stopped short or glancing off Fenris’ saber to be thrown off course. Flashes of red blurred between them as sparks erupted at their feet in gouges from the plated flooring. Each strike from the Sith was deadly, sure to prove lethal were his attack to land, but Fenris’ defense was impenetrable. A fact Fenris could see was angering the Sith as his face slowly twisted into a snarl with each strike. His anger fueling him, his attacks came faster and harder, but in doing so began to leave more openings. 

Sounds of lightsabers clashing together and dull booms echoed behind him, mirroring his fight. At present they were background noise to his own, Fernis’ attention focused on the enemy before him. His calm determination contrasted the increasingly angered Sith who’s attacks increased in speed and force once more. He was skilled to be sure, the onslaught of attacks leaving no room for error, even a slight deflection gone wrong would leave his opponent cut down. Fenris wasn’t called a prodigy when it came to lightsaber combat for no reason though.

Slowly he began to weave his own strikes in against the Sith more frequently. Fenris’ flawless defense now turned into his offense. Steadily he began to push back, advancing on the Sith. Both defense and attack wasted no movement, each strike transitioning seamlessly into the next. Reaching out with the Force, Fenris began to see where the next strike would arrive before the Sith had even committed, letting him turn the battle even more to his side. He knew the Sith was too angered to likely be doing the same to Fenris’ efficiency. His saber whirled about him in a flash, sensing the possibilities of the next strike until... There! 

His saber flipped around, knocking the Sith’s away before he had even begun his next strike. The impending attack swung wide, missing Fenris easily and leaving the Sith exposed.In the same movement Fenris twirled his own around, saber tip streaking toward the Sith’s chest to run him through before he would be able to block. Fenris’ lips twitched in a small smirk, the fight was his; underestimating Fenris Lodbrok would be the unnamed Sith’s last mistake.  
____________________________________________________________________________

“This one’s all you Kira. You can do this.” She gave herself a pep talk as she faced the approaching Sith. Certainly she knew how to fight, but normally Fenris and that ass Tycus did the brunt of it and left her in a supportive role. Currently though, Fenris was fighting Mr. ‘I’m Evil’, Tycus was on his own mission, and Serali was probably talking someone to death. Or scratch that, she’s fighting too she thought, as she heard the wave of force behind her. Which left this guy all for her. “If you have to convince yourself, this shall be easy.” The Sith spoke in a low voice, confidence laced in his tone and pose as he casually strode towards Kira. “At the least, perhaps I shall be rewarded for slaying a fallen Child of the Emperor.” 

“Don’t count on it.” Kira breathed out, centering herself in preparation, she was a Knight now, she did have this. She stepped forward, saber thrusting out as he side stepped it casually. Canting one end down from the near miss to bring the other towards him, only for him to lean back out of range. Reversing, the same blade swept back, intending to catch him as he stepped in. Her saber passed through nothing but air, Sith stepping towards the attack as he ducked under the strike. The other end of her saber followed the same arc, this one too missing as he flipped over it with a soft chuckle. He was toying with her. 

“Get serious!” she demanded, unleashing a flurry of strikes towards him. Each one failed to catch him, as he dodged and weaved around the deadly light. Kira didn’t let it get to her, losing confidence was exactly what he wanted. So what if he dodged all of those? She didn’t need several hits to finish him, just one. Her lightsaber flashed around her, trying to catch him up to seemingly no avail. Despite her best efforts he continued to elude her, that damnable smirk growing all the while. 

Switching up her target she swept down at him in a low crouch and he gave a small hop to evade; just as she suspected he would. Lightsaber spinning around the other end of her saber streaked towards him. Let’s see him dodge in mid air, she thought. It was her own turn to smirk as their saber’s finally connected, that distinctive sound ringing in her ears. He was forced to block, it was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. 

While she counted it as a gain her opponent still didn’t seem to be taking her seriously as they held each other’s sabers at bay. “Is this truly the best a Child of the Emperor can do?” Frowning at her, he feigned a yawn, “Perhaps one of the others will fare better.” She watched as his eyes narrowed, relaxed expression focusing as the pressure on her saber steadily increased. With a burst of strength from him her lightsaber was pushed aside. She carried the energy around to bring the other end of hers up at him but was forced to try and alter its course to block as she saw a flash of red streaking towards her chest. 

She stopped it just in time, barely feeling the pressure exerted on her own saber before it lifted. She didn’t have time to counter as he thrust at her again, knocking that attack off course with one end of her saber as the other swept in at him. He dodged again, ducking under while slashing at her. She carried the missed attack through to bring her far end down and barely block the strike. Her counter denied once more as he switched direction and struck from the opposite side.

The Sith danced around her, attacks always seeming to come from a different side or sweeping in at some impossible angle. Kira’s counters came farther and fewer in between as she did her best to keep the opposing weapon from striking her. Hardly into the fight at all and he had her utterly on the defensive. It wasn’t over yet she told herself, even as those times she just barely avoided a lethal hit were coming more frequently. As much as she hated to admit she seemed to be outclassed, she knew she needed to change something up. As it stood she was already too close to not reacting to one of his strikes in time. 

Problem being she couldn’t find the opening to actually try something different, her saber whirling around her to just keep him off. The heat from his lightsaber started to singe at her clothes as it neared breaking her skin, her own space for maneuvering her weapon shrinking rapidly. Gritting her teeth she swallowed down her pride before calling out, “Fenris!” She hated that she even had to ask for assistance, but she supposed being a Knight was acknowledging your own weaknesses at times. He would come, she knew he would, just have to hold out long enough. Because as it stood, she was dangerously close to losing her own fight. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Serali watched as Fenris lept towards the Sith again, eyes casting back to the broad woman advancing on her as she turned to address her with a raised hand, teal saber gently backlighting her. “Please, this does not need to come to violence.” Not that her opponent seemed to think as such, rushing forward in a sprint with twin sabers already ignited and dragging behind her in deep gouges on the floor. She sighed inwardly, her hand forced into physical confrontation once more; it was a recurring theme with Fenris and Tycus. With her outstretched hand she pushed gently, the subtle motion small in relation to the size of the force wave that pushed outward. It crashed against the Sith Marauder, flinging her back towards the wall of troops who fell away as the wave reached them. She flipped in the air and landed on her toes in a backwards skid before pushing off again, the force assisted leap sending her flying at Serali once more. 

Reaching out again, she sent another Force Push towards the Sith. The Marauder seemed to expect it as a concentrated burst pushed against Serali’s, enough to prevent the blowback and close the gap as the twin sabers struck downwards. Red light met teal as the lightsabers pushed together, Serali buckling some from the force behind the attack. Her lightsaber steadily gave ground, being forced closer as it came dangerously near her face, the light partially blinding so close to her eyes. It wasn’t a place the smaller of the woman wanted to be as the Marauder used her height and strength to continue pushing downward, beams inching towards her alarmingly quickly. 

The Sith pivoted while maintaining pressure, Serali catching a movement below her from the corner of her eye. Pain sprouted in her ribs as an armored knee slammed into her side, flinching towards it as her block grew unsteady. No sooner had she felt the blow did another one come as she felt a fist pressing along her jaw. Her head whipped to the side, corners of her vision darkening as the blow sent her sprawling to the floor and knocked the wind from her; now prone on her back she tasted the metallic tinge of blood on her tongue. The Marauder advanced once more as she brought both lightsabers downward, Serali’s arm reaching up to intercept the strike that seemed even more forceful, her arm trembling under the strain. 

Pushing her strength into keeping the sabers at bay her free hand manipulated the Force once more. Rather than push away though she lifted it from below, clearly a direction the Marauder wasn’t expecting if her look of surprise and flash of anger were anything to go by. The pressure on her arm mercifully eased as the Sith was lifted into the air above her; her arms flailing wildly as though to cut the Force itself she flailed, pushing out with the Force when sabers failed. The Force Lift failed as just Serali scrambled up and caught her breath. She stepped away out of reach as she reversed the Force’s direction before the Sith had landed. 

It slammed the Sith to the floor with a dull thud and metallic clang of armor reverberating, her opponent grunting from the impact. Serali moved her hands together as the Sith began to rise, Force energy accumulating between her palms as she condensed the energy into a singular point. Adding more and more as the Marauder rose and moved in again, seemingly uninjured despite the earlier impact. She remained focused on her target even as she saw red streaking towards her from either side, finally releasing the built up energy at point blank. The condensed Force slammed into the Sith once more, the boom and reverb of a shockwave radiating out as the Marauder was impacted. Her armor seemed to absorb some of the force, but it was still enough to cause internal damage as she flew back uncontrollably, unable to right herself in time as she crashed into the wall.

Serali didn’t wait for the Sith to recover, reaching out through the Force towards her. Sensing the area just around her head and beginning to condense it once more to weaken the Marauder's mind, if not outright crushing it. Her opponent screamed in either rage or pain and Serali’s brow knit together in concern. Hate wasn’t something she was supposed to give in to, but she always came incredibly close to hating these fights. The senseless violence and loss of life seemed unavoidable at times, but she didn’t have to enjoy it. The earlier comment about how much life she had taken weighed heavily on her, to say nothing of her concern over Fenris. 

Those considerations and reflections could come later though, as she continued to condense the area around the Marauder's head; surprised that she began to stand despite the Force being exerted on her. She screamed again as she righted, this one definitely in anger, as her hand threw one of the sabers towards Serali. Shei brought hers up to stop it, breaking her concentration of the Force as the saber crashed along her own before being recalled. Her eyes never left the Sith all the while, watching as her hand outstretched. She felt the presence settling around her before she could react, the Sith having started her next attack before Serali had even blocked the flying saber. 

Pressure pressed in from all sides, her arms snapping to her side, barely able to cut her own saber beam off lest she injure herself. The crushing sensation grew as she watched the Sith’s hand close together, the strain on her neck particularly tight as her ability to breath ceased. There was no need to panic though, she’d been in this position before and broken free. While she may be on the frailer side physically, her Force abilities were one of her stronger assets. Eyes falling shut she concentrated, reaching past the crushing feeling and gathering her strength within. In a flash she released it around her, fully expecting to overpower the outside influence as she had before. 

She felt the pressure ease some as she pushed her will against it, but it wasn’t enough. The Sith sneered and closed her fist tighter and the pressure returned stronger, snuffing out Serali’s efforts. She had sensed the Sith wasn’t particularly gifted in the Force, she should have easily broken out. Perhaps using her own life force to free the plague victims had taxed her more than she’d like to admit. 

She tried once more, receiving even less progress this time. Strength fading she tried again, each attempt weaker than the last as the Force Crush weakened her. The corners of her vision began to darken once more, chest constricting from both pressure and lack of air. The gleeful smile from the Sith her last vision as she slipped into unconsciousness.


End file.
